The Blades fielded a relatively strong team while injury-hit Wednesday put out mostly youngsters, and it showed in the first half.

Mark Smith's side were two up by half time through strikers Jordan Robertson and Jon Stead and could have had more.

The Owls made it more competitive in the second half and Rocky Lekaj got them back in the game.

But it was a torrid start for Wednesday keeper Richard O'Donnell.

Instead of clearing a back pass in the fourth minute in front of the Kop goal he took a touch and lost the ball to Robertson, who rammed it home from close range.

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Eleven minutes after that a foul by Owls centre half Sam Liversidge on Matthew Spring conceded a penalty. O'Donnell made a sharp save from Stead low down to his right and was unlucky when the ref ordered a re-take, from which Stead scored in the opposite corner.

There were also first-half chances for Roberton, who swept a half-volley over the top; Lee Hendrie, with a shot across goal; and Montgomery, who hit the side-netting.

Wednesday had only one serious effort at goal in the first 45 minutes - with midfielder Mukhtar Mohammed shooting at keeper Ian Bennett - and they tried to stem the tide by pushing Luke Boden forward from a five-man midfield to partner Charlie Tunnard up front.

The Owls also made half time changes by taking off Mohammed, pushing Boden back into midfield, and bringing on Nathan Modest up front.

Full backs Peter Gilbert and Leon Lekaj (Rocky's brother) were switched after they had started on the right and left respectively.

Matthew Spring blazed a United half-chance over the bar in the 61st minute, and five minutes later Rocky Lekaj floated a 25-yard effort over Bennett and in off the under-side of the bar to make it 2-1.

Wednesday's kids put up a busy, respectable showing in this half to combat a slicker United side but the visitors threatened three times in the last eight minutes.

Stead brought a full-stretch save from O'Donnell with a 20-yarder and rattled the bar from similar distance and in the last minute the Owls keeper sprang to push away a Spring shot.

OWLS: O'Donnell; Gilbert (Wragg 66), Hadfield, Liversidge, L Lekaj; Mohammed (Modest ht), Lunt, Connelly (Cottingham 78), Boden, R Lekaj; Tunnard. Unused subs: Jameson, Hall.

BLADES: Bennett; Geary, Chanot, Lowton, Naughton; Hendrie, Montgomery, Spring, K Quinn (Laws 74); Robertson, Stead. Unused subs: Wedgbury, Annerson, Tahar, Walker.

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